Once Upon A Summer's Eve
by Katrina R. Avery
Summary: Just a RW-HG fluff with a HP-GW fluff on the side.
1. The Meeting on The Landing

Disclaimer: I don't own Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, or any other characters any more then I own the moon and stars.

AN: I'm sorry I got rid of this story before everyone. I was toying around with some ideas, screwed this story up big time, to the point where it could have become a Lifetime for Women's special. So here it is. As it should have been all along.

Chapter One- The Meeting on the Landing

Ron woke with a start, rain pounding his window.

_So much for sleeping in_, he thought grumpily.

He got up and made his bed, absentmindedly playing with the holes in his Chudley Cannons bedspread. His room was a disaster, as was his hair at the moment, but his mother hadn't commented on it yet. He might as well leave it be until she noticed that a tornado had gone through. Literally.

Only a week before (give or take a few days) Fred and George had been testing out another one of their Wizard Wheezes. On him. This tasty morsel looked to be the muggle chips Ron was fond of, Fritos. He had tried them at Hermione's house when the Weasley's had been invited to dinner, and Hermione had been sending him some ever since. As soon as Ron popped one into his mouth, he began spinning rapidly throughout the room.

Papers were flying, Pig's cage was over turned, and Ron's once orderly room was reduced to pieces. Fred and George had a good laugh, and continued down the stairs to Ginny's room so they could give her some too. Ron made a mental note not to except so much as a crumb from his brothers ever again.

Ron picked up a few things here and there, putting them back in their rightful places. He found his quill and what was left of his ink, and decided to write Harry a letter and send it when the sun came up. Problem was, he couldn't find the paper. Sure, there was paper everywhere, but all the paper was splattered with ink and what not.

Bingo! Paper. He found it under his bed with his good shoes, which he had been looking for since his little experience with the chips. He sat down on his Chudley Cannons bedspread and dipped his quill in the ink.

Harry,

How are you doing over in that prison? Dinner at Hermione's was great. Mrs. Granger made steaks and potatoes, and I have to say that even without the aid of magic her cooking is wonderful. Afterwards Mr. Granger took Dad over to his work to get his teeth cleaned. How muggles put up with all those shiny things being stuck in their mouths, I don't ever want to know. Dad found it quite fun. Anyway, have you heard from Dumbledore lately? I'm sending this with Errol, because I know for a fact that Hedwig doesn't like Pig. Give him a few days to recuperate. He's getting a bit old these days.

Ron

Ron finished the letter and tied it with a piece of string that he found hanging off the end of his bedspread. He opened his window and peered out at the sunrise. The sun was just coming up, and bits of paper littered his already messy floor with letters to Harry that Ron didn't know how to finish. They all seemed so boring, and Ron just couldn't find a lot to say to Harry lately.

Harry hadn't been the same since Sirius's death. He quieted down a lot, and didn't really talk much. Even getting letters from him seemed to be a hassle. Ron had been tempted to ask him whether or not his scar had been hurting him, but decided against it. He didn't want to upset Harry. He was probably upset enough at not getting permission from his Uncle to stay at The Burrow this summer.

Since it was Saturday, the house was quiet. Most of the family liked to sleep in on the weekends. He crept quietly out of his room and down three flights of stairs without so much as a sound. A sudden movement caught Ron by surprise, and he had to stifle a yell by shoving his fist into his mouth. Turning to see what it was that caught his attention, he saw _her_. No... it couldn't be!

It was! Hermione was standing on the fourth floor landing with her hair wrapped tightly in a towel, wearing a rather slimming blue dress that tied in the back.

" 'Mione?" Ron edged cautiously toward her.

Hermione Granger had arrived at The Burrow only the night before. Her parents had to fly across the country suddenly. She suspected that her Aunt Deborah was having her baby. Mrs. Weasley had gotten up at 11 p.m. to welcome Hermione into their home, and she had a warm meal waiting on the table too. _How like Mrs. Weasley to cook for her guests, no matter what time it was_, Hermione had laughed to herself.

When she awoke in the morning, it was well before her roommate, Ginny, had. It was still rather dark outside. Mrs. Weasley had said that if Hermione wanted to, she could take a shower in the downstairs bathroom when she awoke. Hermione decided to take her up on the offer. She took her purse with her, and her make-up bag. When she got in the bathroom, there were two fluffy white towels on the toilet seat, and a little note on top of the sink.

i Hermione,

I thought you would get up and take a shower. Your parents sent a letter back with Hermes (I sent him to them last night, and it's a good thing that they were outside when the letter got there) and you are going to stay here the rest of the month with us. They would like you to write to them as soon as you get a chance. Your clothes are going to be along shortly, along with you school trunk (which they said you'd already packed). Your Aunt Deborah had a little girl, and they named her Brianna. When you're done with your shower there should be breakfast on the table, and if not there are some oranges and other fruits on the table in the basket.

Molly /i 

Hermione read the note and smiled. She had guessed right. How like her.

She took her shower and got dressed into a light blue summer dress that criss-crossed with a fine yellow ribbon and then tied in the back. This was her favorite dress. Her parents had bought it for her when they went on vacation this summer in Paris, but she hadn't worn it yet.

She put some make-up on to cover the dark circles under her eyes. She couldn't sleep really well last night, but she hadn't been sleeping right since Voldemort got his body back.

She passed up the offer to grab some food (it was right on the table where Mrs. Weasley said it would be) because her stomach wasn't feeling to good, and instead wrapped her drenched hair in a towel and went back upstairs. Hopefully Ginny would be awake by now. They had a lot to catch up on.

" 'Mione?"

She gasped and whirled around halfway up the staircase. She didn't expect anyone to be up yet!

It was Ron. He stood there with his mouth hanging open, looking from her soaking hair, to her blue dress, down to her painted toenails. She felt her face go red. _Why did she have to blush now? Why?_

The thoughts that raced through her head caught her by surprise also. _Why do I care anyway?! It's just Ron! _

Even though she tried and tried again to tell herself that it was _just Ron_, her face only got hotter. She noticed with some satisfaction that his ears were turning red also. She decided to take action while she had the chance.

"Hello Ron. Long time no see." She flashed him her best smile and winked.

His ears grew redder. She was gaining control of the odd situation.

"Uh... yeah. Long time." He mumbled. "You can't be here."

Laughing a little, she said, "Well I am."

"But... you can't. I mean... how'd ya get here 'Mione?"

"I came about midnight. Mum and Dad had to go see my Aunt. She had her baby last night."

"Oh. Well... I've got to go send this. See you later."

Ron hurriedly turned and went down the steps. Hermione did a double take of the events that had just happened. _Why did she blush? Why did _he _blush? Stay in control?! Where had that come from? What has gotten into me?!_

Even though she _was_ Hermione Granger, she definitely didn't understand a thing that had just happened. Hermione suddenly felt very exposed in her new dress, and decided to hurry up to Ginny's room and ask to borrow a sweater.

Ron finally sent his letter after a considerable amount of noise was made by Errol, who didn't seem to want to wake up. After Errol was sent on his way, Ron grabbed an apple from the basket on the table and sat down to eat and think. His run-in with Hermione on the stairs had been quite unexpected, and he had ran downstairs in a jumble of mixed up thoughts and, strangely so, feelings.

But most of all, he wondered why he had blushed when he saw her in that blue dress. This _was_ Hermione after all. Annoying Hermione, who always told him what to do. Perfect Hermione, who always corrected him. Hermione, one of his best friends since first year.

"Why, if it isn't Ickle Ronniekins!" came Fred's voice from right behind him, causing him to jump. This morning seemed to be full of unexpected surprises. "Is there something interesting about that wall over there Ron?"

Ron hadn't realized that he had been staring. He had been so lost in his own mixed up thoughts that he hadn't noticed much of anything. He quickly looked the other way.

"No. Nothing interesting over there." He replied nonchalantly.

He finished his apple in three large bites and got up to dispose of the apple core, but before he even took two steps, his other brother, George, grabbed his arm and spun him around. The apple core went flying who knows where.

"What the bloody hell is your _problem_!" Ron yelled angrily.

Fred was obviously part of this plan, because he quickly took Ron's other arm and the twins began dragging him backward up the stairs.

"What the-"Ron tried to yell out. Almost automatically two hands covered his mouth. He would have bit them, but he didn't know where their hands had been this morning.

When they reached the twins bedroom, the walked in and closed the door, throwing him on the bed. Ron hadn't been in their room many times before. He didn't like going in their room much, because the last time they had dragged him in here they had tried, and failed, to give him a proper lesson on 'the birds and the bees, and hair in mysterious places'.

"_Oh_ no!" Ron jumped off the bed. George pushed him onto the desk chair instead.

The twins, although shorter than he was, were both considerably larger. When the two of them stood side by side in a doorframe, there was no escape route. Ron didn't dare jump out the window. He decided he would just have to sit quietly and pretend to listen. Fred and George both gave each other knowing looks, and then grinned at Ron.

"We saw everything Ron." George sniggered.

"What _are _you on about?" Ron asked, suddenly perplexed.

"We saw you and Hermione on the landing this morning." Fred said.

"And it's rather obvious, so you might as well tell us." George continued, trying to keep a straight, serious face and failing. "How could you _not_ tell your older,_ wiser _brothers?"

"I have absolutely _no idea_ what you two are talking about. Maybe you should tell me what I'm supposed to tell you." Ron said, becoming more abashed by the second.

The twins once again exchanged looks with one another, and both burst into laughter. After what seemed like hours to Ron, who was not only confused but also angry at being locked in their room, Fred caught his breath and answered Ron's question.

"I can't believe you don't even _know _yet! _How could you not?!_ I mean... you are _you_." Fred began laughing again. "You fancy Hermione Granger mate."

Ron's jaw dropped to the floor. He reached to his right and grabbed a hard cover book off the desk, and chucked it at the nearest brother's head. Both boys ducked in unison and the book dropped lamely onto the floor.

"I DO NOT!" Ron yelled angrily, jumping up once more, pushing his brothers out of the way as he walked out the door. It wasn't very hard to do, since both had begun laughing harder than before.

Ron stomped up the stairs to his room, slamming the door as hard as he could.

"Things change Ronald! Don't believe us then! But we have to tell you... It's obvious she likes YOU!" Ron heard George yell up the stairs.

Ron was glad he was in his own room, no matter how messy it was, because at that exact moment he turned bright red. Even his hair couldn't match how bright his face was. He hadn't told them, but the twins had been absolutely right. He did like her. He threw himself onto the Chudley Cannons bedspread, unbelievably embarrassed. _Hopefully the girls didn't hear that_, he thought fiercely.

Hermione and Ginny sat in Ginny's slightly uneven, pastel colored room, laughing and chatting away. Hermione had gone to Paris with her parents this summer, and when she had gotten her blue dress she had had her parents buy Ginny a matching pink one. The funny coincidence was, Ginny had saved up some money during the year and had gotten Hermione and herself extremely cute white matching cardigans. They were perfect with their new dresses.

Ginny thanked Hermione exuberantly for her dress, and Hermione had done the same for her cardigan. It was just what Hermione had wished for this morning on the stairs. She had told Ginny all about her run-in of course. Both girls stopped talking abruptly when they heard something bang into a wall upstairs.

"That's just Fred and George. They're probably working on more tricks." Ginny said exasperatedly.

"Don't believe us then Ronald! But we have to tell you... It's obvious she likes YOU!" both girls heard George yelling.

They immediately stopped talking altogether, and Ginny looked at Hermione pointedly. Hermione knew a change of subject was in order.

"I have a feeling I know what _this_ is about." She said mischievously.

"I don't." said Hermione. How about that! Two things she didn't understand in one day.

"You mean that brilliant Hermione Granger doesn't even know when people are talking about her? No! I can't believe it!" Ginny staggered around her bedroom and pretended to faint.

"Me? Why would they be talking about me?"

And then it hit her. _It's obvious she likes YOU! _She heard George yelling in her head. Ginny noticed the embarrassed look on her friend's face and laughed.

"I think someone has a crush on you." She teased in a singsong voice.

"No... it can't be..." Hermione whispered almost to herself.

"Yes. It can be."

"You mean... Ron... Like me? No..." Hermione mumbled.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Ginny smiled. "You did say that he gave you a funny look on the stairs, and then he practically knocked you over while running away."

"That's just a coincidence Gin. He didn't know I was here until he saw me. I would be shocked if Ron showed up in my house with soaking wet hair at like... five in the morning." Pointed out Hermione, trying to defend both her and Ron. "I mean seriously... he hasn't seen me in over a month, and he hasn't heard much from me either. I've been too busy trying to cheer Harry up."

"About Harry... 'Mione... can I ask you something?"

"Gin, you're my best girl friend. Ask away."

"Are you and Harry... an item?"

Hermione was a bit taken aback with her question. Hermione had been charged with liking two people in one day! The number two seemed to be popular for her. What else was going to come in pairs? Hermione didn't want to know.

"Ginny! Why would you think that?" asked Hermione, flustered.

"You kissed him at the King's Cross Station at the end of your fourth year." Said Ginny bluntly.

"Oh that? No! I don't like Harry... he's just my friend. I was only trying to cheer him up. After what he went through..."

Ginny quickly changed the subject. "Good. Because I like him."

"Well what happened to Dean?" asked Hermione.

"He was a git."

Hermione laughed out loud and quickly tried to cover her mouth. She couldn't believe that Ginny had gotten back her schoolgirl crush on Harry. Ginny was such a cool, collected young woman. Hermione couldn't believe how blunt she was these days. Her personality was very mismatched.

"What?" Ginny asked, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I didn't expect you to be so honest. It's good to have a girl to talk to." Hermione chuckled.

Both girls broke out into giggles.

"One more question." said Ginny.

"Shoot." Hermione laughed again.

"Do you like Ron?"

Hermione was more taken aback with this question than she was with Ginny's question about Harry. This was one she couldn't answer on a whim. At the moment, she wasn't quite sure what to say...

"I-" Hermione began, then stopped. "I- I- I don't honestly know."

Hermione's face colored slightly. She did know. She was sure that Ginny would keep her secret, and she would keep Ginny's, but she had never been so open with her. She loved hanging out with Ginny. It was nice to have someone to talk to about more than quidditch and chess. The boys only had one-tracked minds. Ginny had a spontaneous mind, always ready for a challenge, and always quick with an answer. And Hermione... well she was Hermione. Book worm Hermione. Why would Ron ever like her?

Ginny laughed. "Apparently your vacation in Paris has rotted some of your brain cells."

Hermione tried to smile but ended up giving Ginny a confused sort of look.

"Don't worry 'Mione." Ginny patted her friend's hand comfortingly. "You have the next three years to find out."

Hermione laughed and both girls had soon turned the topic back to their summer vacations, and what they would do with the rest of it.


	2. Maybe There's Hope

Chapter Two- Maybe There's Hope

"Come out back everyone! It's time for supper!"

Ron awoke to the sound of his mother yelling up the stairs. He hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep. He got up off his bed, now fully awake, and headed downstairs. He climbed down two flights of stairs and stopped, looking around the corner for Hermione. He didn't feel like running into her again, especially with his unbelievably nosy siblings around.

No sight of her. He continued on his way down and out to the garden, and stopped suddenly. There was Hermione, in her blue dress, and Ginny was standing next to her in a matching pink one.

"Hey Ron, come over here and help me with this!" called Ginny, who was struggling to stay upright and carry seven plates and the silverware at the same time.

Ron chuckled to himself and went to relieve his sister of the plates.

"Thanks Ron. I don't think I could've lasted much longer." Ginny laughed.

"No problem." He said nonchalantly, blushing as Hermione looked at him.

"Where were you all day Ron?" Hermione asked him.

"I-I was upstairs in my... uhhh... room." He stuttered.

Hermione blushed too. This whole day was beginning to get quite annoying. Never in his past years at Hogwarts had either of them been so awkward around the other. Ron busied himself with setting the table, as did Hermione. Once or twice they bumped into each other and muttered apologies, but that was all they said otherwise.

Fred and George came outside at the exact moment that Hermione and Ron ran into each other again, and sniggered loudly. Fred and George took their seats, and watched the two soon-to-be-sixth years amusedly. Ron reached over to put a glass in front of Fred.

"Hey Ronniekins-"Fred began.

"If either of you say one word- and I mean it- during dinner tonight, I'll hex you to Pluto and back." Ron hissed angrily at the twins.

"Mum and Dad wouldn't look to kindly on you being expelled Ronald. Especially with you being their baby boy and all." George said loudly.

Hermione turned to look at them. Ron caught her eye and quickly turned away. As he passed by the twins to continue setting out the glasses, he kicked each sharply in the shin in turn. Fred only smiled maliciously at him, and George kicked back- harder.

"You'll pay for that Ron. Don't you worry." Fred said, his grin broadening.

_Brothers_, thought Ron. _Mum should have drowned them at birth_.

Hermione and Ginny had helped Mrs.Weasley make dinner and set the tables, and all three of them chatted the afternoon away. Hermione didn't see even a hair of Ron, who was probably avoiding her. Ginny still hadn't gotten her answer to her earlier question. Were Hermione and Ron more than just friends?

Hermione decided not to ruin a perfect day fretting about that question. It was like Ginny said, she had three years or more to figure out the answer. Hermione hoped it wouldn't take that long.

Dinnertime came, and the girls went out into the garden to set the table. Ron helped Ginny with the dishes she was carrying, and Hermione and Ron barely said hello to each other. _Maybe Ron didn't like Hermione after all. Maybe he was avoiding her._

_Nah_, thought Hermione. _He wouldn't do that. He's my best friend._

Hermione and Ron kept bumping into each other, and Hermione jumped and pulled away every time. Shivers went up and down her spine whenever he bumped her, and she didn't like it much. She was too confused to understand what was going on, so she did the only thing she knew how to do at the moment. Ignore him.

It wasn't long before she changed her mind again.

"Mum and Dad wouldn't look to kindly on you being expelled Ronald. Especially with you being their baby boy and all." George yelled at Ron loudly from down the table.

Hermione looked up at the three of them- Ron, Fred, and George- and stared. _Ron was going to be expelled? What was going on? _Ron caught Hermione's eye, and she quickly turned away.

"Psst! Gin!" Hermione whispered to Ginny, who was standing directly across the table from her.

"What?" she mouthed at Hermione.

"Why is Ron being expelled?"

Ginny giggled, and quickly turned it into a hacking cough as the three boys stared at her from the end of the table. Hermione blushed again.

"What? What's going on?" hissed Hermione.

"He's not being expelled 'Mione!" she laughed. Then almost to herself she said, "And I thought _you_ were the smart one."

"Just tell me." Hermione shot back.

"He threatened to hex the twins into space because they were whispering things at him." Ginny laughed again.

Hermione giggled too. Now she was beginning to understand.

"What were they saying?" she asked.

"I'm only their sister. How should I know?" Ginny began giggling again.

By this time, all three boys were giving them strange looks, and Fred and George had the biggest grins that Hermione had ever seen. She shot the twins a look, winked at Ron, laughed at the stupid look on his face, and continued setting the table.

"Told you so." The girls heard George whisper to Ron.

Ron only turned away, his grin quite bigger than both twins' put together.

Ron ate dinner catty-corner to Hermione. There were two tables set up on the lawn, three at one table and four at another. Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, and Ron were seated at one table. Mrs.Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny were at the other. Occasionally Ron would steal a glance at Hermione, who always seemed to notice him looking at her. She would look up at him, smile serenely, and turn back to giggle with Ginny about something Ron couldn't hear.

Mr. Weasley got up to chase a few curious lawn gnomes away from the tables. Mrs. Weasley went inside to look up a gnome-repelling spell in one of her Lockhart books.

"Do you believe us now?" whispered Fred from across the table.

Ron suddenly wished he were sitting with the girls, instead of having both twins straight across from him.

"No." said Ron hotly. "I do NOT think she likes me."

The twins grinned again.

"How could you not believe us? You heard them whispering." George pointed out.

"And they can probably hear us." Fred said nonchalantly.

"So? She wanted to know why I was getting expelled," said Ron.

"Ginny knows what's going on too you know." pointed out George.

"She does _not_!" Ron hissed.

"Fine, don't listen to us... _again_. You know we're right Ronald." smirked Fred.

"Why does _everyone_ in my family know what's going on in _my_ life but _me_?!" Ron sighed, laying his head in his hands so that they covered most of his _extremely_ red face.

Across the table, Ron saw his nosy sister smirking at him and returning to probably tell Hermione what she had heard.

"He wants to know why everyone around him understands but him." Ginny giggled, doing exactly what Ron thought she would.

Hermione blushed and tried to hide her face also. She understood exactly how Ron felt at the moment. This was going to be a long month.

She pushed her food around her plate some more, and then asked to be excused.

Ginny continued to listen in on her brother's tormenting of Ron, occasionally expressing her opinions also.

Almost a week had passed since Hermione first showed up, and Hermione and Ron barely spoke to each other. Ron hadn't heard from Harry either. After lunch Ron decided to go out on his Cleensweep Eleven and practice his goal-keeping. Fred and George, since they were of age, helped Ron out by jinxing balls to fly at him. Ron didn't find this very helpful though, because they also jinxed the balls to send an electric charge up his arm whenever he tried to block his goal posts. Eventually they had taken that particular charm off, because Mrs.Weasley had a fit when her youngest son came inside with blackened hands.

Ron mounted his broom and kicked off. Immediately all his troubles left him, and all that was left was the wind rustling his hair and the broom beneath him.

"Finally, some peace." he said to himself.

Fred, George, and Ginny came out onto the hill, all carrying their brooms in their hands.

"I spoke to soon." Ron sighed. "Something you want?" he yelled down at them.

"We wanted to fly too. Is that a crime?" Ginny yelled back.

Ron didn't answer; he only zoomed away as fast as his broom would go.

Hermione sat in the shadows of a nearby tree, with and Extendable Ear connected to her own. She could hear the twins, Ron, and Ginny, as if they were right next to her. Ginny had set this all up with her older twin brothers, because Hermione was about to die with anxiety. She wanted to know if Ron really liked her as more than a friend. She wanted him to know that she liked him too. She always had. She had just been too afraid to say anything.

Ginny, Fred, and George had just gotten on their brooms and sped after Ron to bug him some more, when all four of the Weasley's stopped at the sound of one overly loud BANG and several loud CRACKS.

Hermione's heart skipped several beats. She hastily pulled the Extendable Ear out of her own, shoved it in her jean shorts pocket, and ran out of the trees toward the others. But she stopped short and screamed, because someone had knocked her over.

"Hermione!" she heard Ron yelling. "Where _are_ you?!"

She tried to scream out again, but that someone covered her mouth.

"Hermione- _shut up_! It's me! You need to be _quiet_!" she heard Harry whisper urgently in her ear.

She then realized that she was under his invisibility cloak. Her stomach churned as she thought of the things the Death Eater's would do if they knew he was here.

"Harry what's-"

"Shh!" he hissed. "Stay here, and _don't, _under any circumstances, move or make a sound!"

Very suddenly she could see herself again, and she saw Harry's left foot once before he disappeared again. She looked around, keeping as quiet as she possibly could. She was frightened. The sounds she had heard were the sounds of the overly bright purple Knight Bus, and more than 10 Apparitions. She had lost count after they all started happening at once. She pulled the Extendable Ear out again and put it in her own. Ron sounded like he was next to her again.

"_What do you mean you can't tell me where she is_!" she heard him yelling.

"Because she isn't where she was before... I don't know Ron! I swear!" Ginny yelled back at him, obviously in tears.

She heard Ginny scream, very much like she had done, and knew that Harry had arrived.

"What the-" Ginny yelled out, as someone tapped her from behind and grabbed her right hand.

"Shhh!" Someone whispered. "Ginny- take my hand and keep close. Ron, tell your brothers to follow you. _Quickly_!"

Ginny blinked, confused. Suddenly it all clicked.

"Guys, come on! I think I know where she is now." Ginny whispered to Fred and George, who gave her a knowing look.

"And keep quiet!" added Ron hastily.

The twins suddenly lost their all-knowing looks and followed behind Ron and Ginny. Ginny's right hand kept slipping under Harry's invisibility cloak, and finally the twins seemed to understand what was going on.

"Fred- George- apparate to Grimmauld Place. We'll be there shortly. Tell Molly not to worry." Harry whispered to the twins.

Two more CRACKS erupted from the clearing, as Harry, Ron, and Ginny moved into the trees.

Ron looked wildly around, searching for the faintest sign that Hermione was there and that she was alright. After his eyes swept over the forest floor twice, he found her leaning on the nearest tree trunk with her head in her hands. She looked extremely pale, and she was breathing deeply as if trying to calm herself. She looked up at him with damp brown eyes, the color slowly returning to her face as she realized everyone was there, and stood up and brushed her clothes off. Before she had opened her mouth, he unintentionally wrapped his arms around her waist.


	3. Day Dreams Come True

Chapter Three- Daydreams Come True

Hermione gasped, as she felt Ron's arms snake around her back. She had been daydreaming about this same thing for over 6 years now, and even though she had seen this scene in her head innumerable times, she didn't know how to react. _Should I hug him back? Should I just stand here like and idiotic teenage girl? Should I push away?_

She decided on hugging him back. Her hands found their way around the back of his neck. She buried her head in his chest and sobbed.

"I thought something had happened to you 'Mione!" Ron whispered in her ear, sounding relieved.

She smiled up at him. She looked into his eyes affectionately as he wiped away her tears with the back of his hand. She could feel Ron's heartbeat quicken since she was pressed tightly against him. An idea struck her suddenly, and she knew just how to make her fantasy a reality. Before his hand had moved away from her cheek, her lips met with his.

It was now Ron's turn to not know how to react. She was _way_ too close to him now. After their kiss, Hermione pulled away from him still with tears in her eyes. He grabbed her hand in his and held onto it, as if it was the only thing keeping his feet firmly attached to the ground. He felt like he could've flown!

"What was that about?" Ron couldn't help but ask.

She should have been happy that they had finally kissed. He had been waiting to do that himself for almost 6 years, but he had never had the willpower to allow himself to make the first move.

"Oh, Ron! You are _perilously_ horrible when it comes to girls-"

"Well then why the hell did you kiss-"

"Because I wanted-"

"Well that explains a lot-"

"_Hem, Hem_." interrupted Ginny in her perfect Umbridge impersonation. Ron and Hermione both jumped.

Ron had just realized Ginny and Harry were still there. They too were still holding hands, and grinning broadly. He felt his face flush, and saw Hermione's do the same next to him.

"Hello Ron and Hermione. This is Harry. And I'm Ginny. You remember us don't you? We just happened to be watching you the _whole_ time." She said with a smirk. Harry nodded beside her, slipping the cloak off and rolling it into a ball so the rest of him was finally showing.

_Ginny should mind her own _bloody _business_, thought Ron heatedly. _Honestly! She butt's-in enough for the rest of the females on this planet!_

Hermione had honestly forgotten all about Harry and Ginny. She yanked her hand out of Ron's nastily and crossed her arms.

"Yes, yes. We know who you are." she snapped. "Now someone tell me how to get out of here."

She shot Ron a look of deepest loathing. _How mad he could make her sometimes! It was a damn good thing that he was cute!_

"Portkey." said Harry shortly.

"How'd you get here?" asked Ginny incredulously.

"Aunt and Uncle kicked me out. Took the night bus here a while ago after Fawkes was sent to me with a portkey from Dumbledore. It can take us to Grimmauld place. It's activated by someone touching it. Death Eater's showed up here. I told your mum to go to Grimmauld place, and told her I'd send Fred and George to tell her we're all right. The I got on my cloak and got you guys." They could hear twigs snapping nearby. All four jumped and held their breath.

Harry pulled and old teapot out of his invisibility cloak pocket and held it out for everyone.

"We have to go." He whispered.

All four of them put a finger on the pot, and five seconds later Hermione felt a sudden jerk somewhere below her navel. She landed with a THUD in the kitchen of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Mrs.Weasley rushed over to them and threw her arms around all of them. Hermione suddenly felt very suffocated. She was pressed up against Ron, and wanted nothing more than to run upstairs to her and Ginny's old room and hide.

Mrs. Weasley finally let them go, and Hermione told her that she was tired and was going to go up to bed. Ron tried to catch her attention by whispering her name at her so only she could hear, but she refused to listen_. _

"I'm tired too. Goodnight everyone. See you later." Ginny said, standing tall and proud as she marched out of the kitchen.

Hermione thought she saw Ginny flash a wink in Harry's direction before she followed Hermione upstairs and into their old room.

Ron motioned for Harry to follow him. They moved through the house silently to their room. Harry had suddenly become much less talkative than he had been even during the summer. He looked around the house, glassy-eyed and pale. Ron watched as Harry stopped short in front of Sirius's mum's portrait, and he thought Harry was about to put his fist through it.

"Come on Harry. Let's go to our room." Ron whispered, so as not to wake Mrs. Black.

They reached the room and went inside. Harry slowly returned to normal.

"So." he said, grinning again. "Like you once asked me- how was it?"

Ron thought this over and said honestly. "Same answer. Wet."

Harry laughed heartily at Ron. Ron hadn't heard Harry laugh in a long time now. He was glad Harry was finding this amusing, because he wasn't.

"I feel sorry for you, mate. I remember Cho doing the same thing. Crying, and then kissing me, and then crying. If you're anything like we were, it's all downhill from here. It's a good thing she likes you Ron."

"It's a good thing I like her too." Ron said, blushing.

"What would you do if you went out though?" asked Harry, laughing harder. "Maybe you could argue about stupid things. You never seem to do enough of that _without_ being a couple."

Ron rolled his eyes at the ceiling. "Tell me about it. I don't get why she's mad at me now though! I only asked why the hell she bloody kissed me!"

"Ron... she's right. You are definitely not an expert on girls. You'd probably get a 'T' if there were a class for this sort of thing."

"Not like you'd get any better."

"Listen, just give her time. She's Hermione. She'll get over it. My parents hated each other in fifth year, and then they started dating seventh. And look at how they turned out! They had me didn't they?" he laughed again. "I'll see you in the morning. I'm bloody tired."

He got up, changed into his green pajamas, and with that, laid down and turned so his back was facing Ron and automatically fell asleep. Ron lay down and looked up at the ceiling, with thoughts moving rapidly through his head. _Would he and Hermione turn out like Harry's parents? Or would Hermione hate him until his dying day? _The answer to those questions he didn't know right now. All he knew was that he was tired. He changed into his new blue cotton pajamas that the twins had bought him (_About time maroon wasn't in your wardrobe_, they had said), laid back down, and he too fell asleep within minutes.

Both girls walked into the room. Hermione really was tired. She had had a very emotionally trying day. She put on a silk blue nightgown that fell to her knees. It had spaghetti straps and lace around the bottom. It was Hermione's favorite. Ginny too put on her pajamas; a two piece set of pink flannel pajama's with ducks on them. The younger girl sat on the end of Hermione's bed, and grinned down at her.

"So," she said.

"Get to the point Gin." Hermione said testily.

"How was it?"

"Not what I expected."

Ginny shot her a look. "Not what I meant. Details please."

"It was sweet. His breath smelt good because he must have had a mint or-" Hermione stopped suddenly and sat bolt upright. "Oh dear... Ginny, does my breath smell bad?"

She breathed into her hand and sniffed it.

"Here, breath at me." said Ginny, laughing at Hermione. "You owe me two."

Hermione breathed at Ginny, and burst into a fit of giggles.

"Were you eating... cinnamon or... something? It doesn't... smell bad... at all!" Ginny said through giggles.

"Thank the lord." she laughed too, and threw herself flat on the bed again.

"Details 'Mione!" Ginny said impatiently.

"He smells good. Cologne or something. It was wet. Probably because I was crying all over him." she sighed. "When Cho kissed Harry he hated it because she cried all over _him_. What if Ron hates me now?"

"He doesn't hate you. Trust me." Ginny smiled and patted Hermione's arm sympathetically. "I have good news."

"What?" asked Hermione, jumping at the subject change.

"Harry likes me," she said simply, without a trace of embarrassment.

"How do you know?" asked Hermione, sharing in Ginny's happiness. She was upright again.

"Well... while you and Ron were _busy_," Hermione blushed again. "He asked if I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him this year. I said yes. We've been writing to each other this summer, but he said that he wanted to ask me in person to see my reaction."

"It comes so easy for you," said Hermione, eyeing her jealously. "You're gorgeous, and you have the most _perfect_ curves. The guy you like obviously likes you back, and he makes the moves first. He also isn't a brainless git when it comes to women." Hermione whined. She frowned at Ginny and sighed.

"It isn't as easy for me as it looks. And you're very pretty yourself Hermione! And the curves... they're more of a curse than a blessing. My guy friends don't talk to me anymore. They expect my chest to answer them or something."

Hermione smiled again, and both girls started laughing.

"Thanks Ginny." said Hermione.

"For what?" she asked.

"For listening."

"Anytime. You're fun to talk to. Thanks too 'Mione."

"I feel the same way."

Ginny went over and lay down on her own bed. They girls talked for a while, listened to the boys on Extendable Ears (which provided Hermione with enough information to tell that Ron liked her too), and then Ginny fell asleep.

Hermione lay on her bed, completely exhausted, with the words Ron had said over the Extendable Ears reverberating throughout her head:

_"It's a good thing I like her too."_

"Get out of bed sleepy head!" Ginny said in a singsong voice, right in Ron's left ear.

"Get out of my room bird brain." Ron shot back, singing louder than Ginny.

"It's seven Ronald. Get out of bed or get hexed. Your choice."

The door snapped shut. Ron rolled over to look in Harry's direction, to see he too was just waking up. His jaw fell open as he watched Ginny give him an almost unnoticeable kiss on the cheek as she sat down next to him and gently shook him awake. _Why couldn't she have woken me so nicely_, Ron though angrily. He could've seen Harry's smile from across the hall.

"The door just closed. Why aren't you gone?" Ron snapped impatiently, ripping the blankets off and going over to get his clothes from his trunk.

"Hermione. Her _hair_ wasn't done properly." Ginny smirked, with a glint of confusion in her eyes. "She's so weird lately, isn't she?" she asked.

Ron glared at her.

"She's perfectly fine Ginny. Why don't you just stop prying into other people's business?!"

Ron's jaw dropped. She was still sitting next to Harry. No... _LEANING on Harry_! Ron could've knocked her out! She knew better than to get involved with a boy who had attempts on his life every few months!

"Good morning Ron." Harry said groggily, still smiling none the less.

"Don't I know it." Ron grunted back. Ginny hastily moved away from Harry as Ron shot her another scathing look.

It was going to be a long day.


	4. Ron's Triumph

Chapter Four- Ron's Triumph

Ron didn't feel like watching his best friend and baby sister spend "quality time" together. Instead, he decided he'd go upstairs and visit Buckbeak. He always seemed to listen better than a person would.

Ron made his way up the staircase quietly, so as not to disturb Mrs.Black. He didn't feel like listening to her howl for an hour, and he was sure Harry wouldn't much like it either. That was the last thing either boy needed... and ugly old witch yelling about how horrible they were.

Ron stopped short outside the room where Buckbeak was staying, listening intently. Someone was in the room already. He recognized the voice of the speaker. Quietly, he stole into the room and his behind a large cabinet that was close to the door.

Hermione didn't even notice he was there.

"I don't even think he likes me Buckbeak. He's been ignoring me since I kissed him." Hermione said softly to the Hippogriff as she stroked it.

She was sitting in Sirius's parents' old room, where Buckbeak had been living for almost 2 years now. When she had gotten up this morning, Ginny had insisted on going over to visit the boys. She didn't feel like talking to Ron, because he obviously didn't want to even look at her. She had used a flimsy excuse to get away, and luckily it had worked. Although Buckbeak wasn't a better companion than Ron, he listened better, and he didn't say stupid ignorant things.

"What did I get myself into?" she sighed sadly, standing up to leave the room. Buckbeak looked up at her with consoling eyes, and gently nudged her leg with his head.

Hermione turned around and faced the hippogriff with tear filled eyes. _Boys are a pain in the arse_, thought Hermione. _If only I fell for someone besides one of my best friends!_

Ron saw an opportunity knocking on his door as Hermione turned to face Buckbeak, and he quickly slipped back out the door.

Once he was outside of the room, he knocked softly on the door.

"Anyone in here?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He peered inside and put on a surprised expression.

He saw Hermione quickly wipe her eyes and turn to face him with a grin.

"I'm in here." she replied curtly.

"I'm glad you are."

He got a good look at his surroundings this time. The room was in all blacks, dark greens and dark blues. _Very cheery... for someone who's on their deathbed_, thought Ron. _At least the bed has some flare. It's pretty cool._

The bed was a dark red color, and it was in the shape of a circle.

He invited himself in the room yet again. It was time for him to make the first moves.

Hermione was shocked as Ron entered the room at the exact moment she was crying over him. _Finally show up for once_, she thought angrily, wiping at her eyes. _Not ignoring me anymore I see_.

"I'm here," she said, with a grin on her face. As to why she found this so funny, she had no idea. It felt to her as if she would never get a moment to herself this month, just to think. He was every where she went!

"I'm glad you are."

She stared at him, searching his cerulean blue eyes for what he really meant to say. Something flashed in those deep eyes- was it happiness? She was taken aback.

"Your eyes are so deep I could drown in them."

"What?" Ron looked startled at this sudden outburst and started rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong with my eyes?"

"What?" Hermione asked. She hadn't realized she had spoken aloud.

"You said something about my eyes drowning." Ron said, looking into Hermione eyes. He could always tell if she was telling the truth by looking into her eyes. But for once since he knew her, her eyes held no answers. They held something else that Ron just couldn't fathom.

"No I didn't." Hermione said defiantly, turning so she didn't have to stare at him. She thought she would die of embarrassment!

"Yes you did."

"No. I didn't."

"Look at me." Ron pleaded.

Hermione plopped down onto the dark red bed by Buckbeak and absently stroked him again. She looked up at Ron.

Ron sat next to her, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, grinned mischievously, and then laughed.

"Why... Hermione Granger is lying." he laughed.

"Ok... so I am lying. I didn't mean to say that." she turned away from him, her cheeks turning a soft shade of magenta.

"Think I got good eyes do ya?" he teased. _She has nice eyes too_, he thought with a grin.

"Don't bug me right now Ronald. I'm not in the mood." she snapped violently, shoving away from him. Her face fell and Ron felt bad for teasing her.

"I'm not teasing love. I was being serious!"

Hermione stopped stroking Buckbeak, and turned to look at Ron. His red hair stood out more than usual in this dark and dreary room.

"What did you call me?" she asked him in a small voice.

He clamped his mouth shut. Hermione was obviously going through severe mood swings or something, and he didn't want to set this ticking, bushy-haired bomb off. He had to choose his words wisely.

"You aren't going to get mad again are you?" he asked.

Ok, so he was horrible at choosing his words wisely. He DEFINATELY had trouble coming his way now.

To his surprise, Hermione laughed and threw her head into a black pillow at the head of the round bed.

"Uh..." was all Ron managed to say. He was afraid to speak, otherwise he would ruin her sudden good mood and she would probably explode angrily in his face.

"It isn't you... it's me!" Hermione managed to say through fits of laughter. She was either laughing so hard she was crying, or Ron had missed a key part of the conversation. She sat up abruptly and moved closer to him, so that they were practically nose to nose. Her breath smelled like peppermint. Just like yesterday.

He gulped, hoping he didn't smell too bad himself.

"I didn't mean to get mad at you the other day Ron, really I didn't. It's just... you say the stupidest things sometimes! Things change, as your brother's said... especially people. But you're not changing at all Ron. You just... stay the same. Like you'll be a little boy forever." she said softly, looking at him to see his reaction. She could see he wasn't angry, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking at the moment.

_Please understand for once_, she prayed silently.

"I know." he replied, bowing his head in embarrassment. "That's why you always get mad."

"I promise to try and get better at controlling my temper," she said softly, leaning back to sit cross-legged. Ron sighed heavily and threw himself flat on his stomach.

"I don't mean to say stupid things either," he said. " I do act young for my age. And you act much older than yours. I guess that's why we always antagonize each other, don't we?"

Hermione considered this quietly to herself. He did have a point. No wonder they always argued...

"I forgive you then... and yes, we do get on each others nerves once in a while." she said finally, laying next to Ron and propping herself up on her elbows. He rolled over onto his back and stared blankly up into her brown eyes.

"Your eyes are deep too." he laughed.

Hermione hit him in the arm. Ron laughed harder.

"There you go again! You say stupid things and laugh!" she complained, hitting him again. By now he was gasping for breath. "It isn't funny Ronald Weasley! I was being... serious."

Ron stopped laughing.

"Really?" he asked with his lips curling up at the corners. He was trying not to laugh, she could tell.

"Yes." she said softly, blushing yet again.

"So you do like my eyes!"

Ron began laughing again.

"I've got nice eyes... I've got nice eyes..." he chanted between snorts of laughter.

"Ron, stop... it's not funny, it's true." she sighed.

"Oh Hermione... I was only joking," he said, finally catching his breath and looking at her. She looked as if she would flee from the room.

"It isn't funny!" she repeated in protest." If you were joking then why-"

Ron leaned in towards Hermione and put his lips on hers, and she trailed off into silence as his arms once again snaked around her waist, lost in his embrace. For once in his life, Ronald Weasley had won an argument with know-it-all Hermione Granger.


	5. Just a Simple Question

Chapter Five- Just a Simple Question

They sat there staring for a few moments, while an awkward silence hung over them. The only sound came from Buckbeak, who snorted to get the attention riveted on him instead.

"Ron," Hermione started, looking at him in awe. "Why did you do that?"

Ron stared at Hermione, a look of satisfaction on his face that countered Hermione's confusion. He shrugged his shoulders. Hermione's brain snapped back into gear as best it could. She felt like she had swallowed butterflies.

"Let me give you a few options to choose from. You either one; like me. Two; wanted to make me shut up. Three; you have no idea. Or four; you just felt like it. Any of them sound correct?"

_Pick number one_, she silently pleaded with him.

Ron sighed. He had won an argument, and Hermione would most definitely get him back for this. He looked toward Buckbeak for consolation, but the hippogriff snorted loudly as if he were laughing, and trotted across the room to sit in the shadows.

Hermione was trying to maintain eye contact with Ron, but he kept looking away. She was beginning to regret she had even asked.

"Never mind." Hermione sighed. She pushed herself up off the bed and out of Ron's arms.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked, his eyes downcast.

"I have to go now. There's cleaning to be done." Hermione replied flatly.

Hermione left the room as quickly as she could, her eyes filling with tears. _Why didn't he answer me? Why didn't he even look at me? I thought we were going to be more mature about things... answering a simple question seems mature. Maybe there's something wrong with me..._

Hermione knew very well that Mrs. Weasley and Sirius had handled all of the cleaning last year, but she would have said her grandmother was dying if it would have gotten her out of that room. She made her way back down to her room, the tears falling down her face for the second time today.

Ron didn't know what to say to Hermione. He knew the answer to the question, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it. If he said the answer out loud, it would mean his brother's were right. It would mean things would get harder than they already were. It would mean he was ready to move things up a notch.

He chose answer number one.

But if he said it out loud, would things ever be able to go back to the way they were when they were 'just friends'? He couldn't take back the two unplanned kisses, or the things they had talked about. He couldn't take back his feelings for her, or what she felt for him. In his opinion, this relationship was a bomb that was about to explode.

He was too scared to get into a relationship with someone he really cared about. What if he screwed up somehow? It seemed possible. He screwed things up between them almost everyday, and they were only friends right now. Would his screw-ups be far worse if he told her his answer?

What if he hurt her, or she hurt him? Couples at Hogwarts rarely lasted long. Cheating was a common thing these days. What if something happened? Ron would never be able to take those things back either if they happened.

What if they went too far with their relationship? From what his brother's had told him, lust over-ruled common sense. After things got started there was no going back. You couldn't help but go on. He couldn't handle it if either one of them got hurt because of one lustful night.

So many things could go wrong in this relationship. So many things could go wrong in _any_ relationship. Maybe he should wait and get some experience in this field with someone else before Hermione? She meant too much to him for him to screw this up.

"Never mind."

Hermione's voice cut sharply through his thoughts. He felt her body move away from his, and his heart felt like it had fallen through his toes. Maybe it would be best for him just to let things go, and pretend it never happened.

_Like that's gonna work_, he thought sullenly.

"Where are you going?" he asked. It was all he could manage to say. He averted his eyes from her to Buckbeak, who stared at him like he was stupid.

"I have to go now. There's cleaning to be done."

Ron chanced a quick glance at her before she left the room, and saw tears in her eyes, and suddenly felt ashamed.

_It's better this way_, he told himself. _She's better off with someone else._

He had never felt this confused and yet certain.

_But I'm better off with her._

After giving Buckbeak one last pat on the head and a promise to visit him again soon, Ron left to go find his brother's and for once ask for their advice.

"Oh Ginny it was terrible!" Hermione could be heard crying an hour later with Ginny in their shared bedroom. "He didn't answer me. He didn't look at me. He didn't show _any_ emotion!"

"You threw him a tough one Hermione." Ginny tried to explain for at least the tenth time this afternoon. "Ron has never been one to tell what he's feeling, or show what he's feeling either. He hides things very well for the most part. Even asking him a simple question with simple answers is a task. But I must say... you did not ask that simple of a question."

"What do you mean Gin? It was extremely simple. All he had to do was say a number!" Hermione whined, stuffing her face into her pillow and screaming.

"I would have trouble even answering that one, especially if I had just kissed someone everyone else knew I liked. How is there a simple answer to that question 'Mione? He was probably battling his pride and his emotions for you at the same time. For all he knew he could have gotten shot down by you, and that would have killed him.

Hermione stared at her only true girl friend and thought this over. She still thought it was a simple question. He either liked her, he didn't, or he wasn't sure. _It's not that hard to say a number_, Hermione stubbornly thought._ I could count a million possible answers if asked. All he had to count to was _**four**_. Four for God's sake!_

"I still don't think it's that difficult." Hermione repeated.

"Fine. You sit and think about how it isn't difficult while I go find Harry and get the scoop on Ron." Ginny said before slamming the bedroom door. She was obviously getting frustrated with Hermione.

"I was so hoping he would have said one." Hermione said sadly to herself.

She laid her head down on her pillow and was fast asleep within seconds, dreaming of what would have happened if Ron had only said one...

"Am I right or and I wrong about this?" Ron asked his brothers after explaining to them for the past half an hour what was going through his head when Hermione had asked him such a simple question.

"Not to say we told you so, but she did end up liking you just like we told you she would." Fred said with a smirk.

Ron, Harry, and the twins were all sitting in the twin's bedroom. Ron was fiddling with a string that was unraveling from the bed cover. He wasn't maintaining eye contact with any of the other three boys either, just like he hadn't done with Hermione.

"You were right, ok? You were right. I was wrong. I need your help now. Just stop being complete prats, all right?" Ron snapped angrily.

Harry stared absently at the wall, trying to think of ways to help Ron, but finding his mind wandering back to the time he and Ginny had spent together this morning. George was eating different Wizard Wheezes to test them out, amusing himself when he turned into a giant slug and started oozing putrid green slime. Fred was trying to turn his twin back into a wizard.

"None of you seem to be taking this seriously. I didn't know what to do, so I came to you guys for advice." Ron said evenly, keeping his temper in control. "I guess that was stupid of me."

He walked swiftly out of the room, slamming the door just as he heard one upstairs slam. Mrs. Black started to howl, but oddly enough, quieted down almost immediately.

Ron sat down in the hallway, his mind a jumble of thoughts and emotions.

Harry came out of the bedroom, leaving Ron's now slug-brother oozing all over Fred, who was starting to grow tentacles. Ron couldn't help but laugh at them. Harry smiled weakly and slid down the wall to squat next to him.

"Listen mate," Harry began, rubbing his forehead. "I think you should talk to Hermione about this. I'm sure she understands more than anyone what's going on right now. She's feeling the same things you are Ron. Maybe you could work this out together?"

Ron thought it over quickly and nodded. It seemed like a good idea. Maybe Hermione did understand.

"Harry! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Ginny exclaimed merrily as she came skipping around the corner. She gave Harry a hug before spotting Ron.

"Where've you been all day?" Ron asked her moodily.

"In the house, same as you. You best go talk to Hermione. And tell her I won't talk to either one of you until you figure this out."

Ron stared at her for a moment, and then focused on the grinning Harry who nodded in agreement, his arm still around her waist.

"Fine then. I'm going." Ron sighed heavily.

"Good luck mate. Ginny and I are off to save what's left of your brothers." Harry said as Ron turned and made his way upstairs. Ginny was laughing hysterically by the time Ron had made it to the next floor. Harry could be heard yelling for her to get back. Ron merely laughed, remembering what his brothers had looked like from the hall.

_Well_, he thought as he reached the girls bedroom door and knocked softly. _I guess this is it._


End file.
